Take Me Out Tonight
by Pheo
Summary: Another RT fic inspired by the musical Rent! This one isn't a parody. It was intended to be just a bit of fluff, but I'm afraid Remus had other plans!
1. Chapter 1

**Title**: Take Me Out Tonight

**Chapter**: 1

**Author**: Pheo

**Rating**: T

**Spoilers**: Yes; this takes place during the fall of _Order of the Phoenix_

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing.

**A/N**: This isn't the companion piece I've spoken of; "Moony Over Moony" and "Adoring Nymphadora" will hopefully be multi-chaptered fics once they are through. This is just another _Rent_-related fic that's been milling about both in my head and on my laptop for months! My other _Rent_-related R/T story, "Light My Candle," was a parody—but this is just some fluff. :)

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_What's the time?_

_Well, it's gotta be close to midnight_

_My body's talking to me—_

_It says, "Time for Danger…"_

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Nymphadora Tonks glanced at the clock for the hundredth time. Eight minutes to go. Stifling a yawn, she shook herself awake, determined not to get any sleepier than she already was. In eight minutes—scratch that, seven minutes, forty-five seconds—she would have an entire twenty-four hours of freedom. And after four straight nights of surveillance for the Order of the Phoenix, following long shifts at the Ministry, Tonks was ready to play.

As it was a Friday night, she'd been invited to loads of gatherings, from pub-hopping with a few fellow aurors to some wild bash McCleoud something or other was throwing, but nobody expected her to show.

She never did.

Even if her entire schedule wasn't taken up with Auror and Order duties, she knew better than to be out playing like a girl fresh out of Hogwarts. Her skin prickled when she thought of the rest of the Wizarding kind, out gallivanting like _he_ wasn't back. Of course, to them, he wasn't.

Constant vigilance aside, her body ached for normalcy for just one night—one night to dance like the greatest threat to mankind really was just a rumor—one night to let her hair as wild and bright as she chose it to be—one night to just _live_.

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_It says, "I wanna commit a crime…_

_Wanna be the cause of a fight!_

_Wanna put on a tight skirt, and flirt_

_With a stranger…"_

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After her shift, Tonks apparrated to her flat and quickly changed into a funky, sparkly sweater, some torn jeans, and a pair of trainers. After wrapping her rainbow woolen scarf around her neck, she was ready to go. But where?

She really didn't feel like wading through water cooler talk all night with her fellow Aurors. She didn't feel like a party, either—where someone was bound to bring in elf moss or something worse she'd be forced to confiscate. No, she needed to go somewhere with no obligations, and where she wouldn't be recognized.

That said, Tonks wasn't about to go out alone. She was thirsty for some fun—not suicidal. But who the hell would be willing to go with her? Her first thought was one of the Weasleys, but with the elder two on missions and that matriarchal mother of theirs, she knew better than to ask if the twins wanted to go out.

Sighing in frustration, she decided to simply go to Grimmauld Place and see if there was anyone there ready and willing.

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_I've had a knack from way back  
At breaking the rules once I learn the game  
Get up! Life's too quick  
I know someplace sick  
Where this chick'll dance in the flames_

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Poor Sirius. Just the look on his face when he saw her nearly made her want to forget her plans and stay home with her housebound cousin.

"Bloody hell, Tonks, you can nearly see though that sweater of yours," he finally grumbled, swigging back a long drink of firewhiskey.

Glancing down at her attire, she grinned at him. "Getting all protective on me, cuz? How sweet."

He rolled his already-bloodshot eyes at her. "Going somewhere special?"

She shimmied her shoulders casually. "Maaaaybe." She pretended to look at a chipped pink fingernail. "Remus around?"

He sputtered out his drink, finally giving her a smile. "You don't let up, do you? Ah, what did I expect, you being a Black and all."

She rolled her eyes and placed a hand on her hip. "Look, Sirius, I just want to have one night out. I'm sorry you can't come—you _know_ I'd ask you in a heartbeat if I didn't think you'd be killed on sight—don't look at me like that!"

He sighed and took a long pull from the bottle. "He's upstairs."

She nearly skipped away. "Thanks, cuz!" She nearly felt guilty, but when his rakish, "Bring me back a redhead, will you?" followed her up the stairs, she brightened again.

_Remus Lupin_, she thought, _tonight, you are going to take me out!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Title**: Take Me Out Tonight

**Chapter**: 2

**Author**: Pheo

**Rating**: T

**Spoilers**: Yes; this takes place during the fall of _Order of the Phoenix_

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing.

**A/N**: This isn't the companion piece I've spoken of; "Moony Over Moony" and "Adoring Nymphadora" will hopefully be multi-chaptered fics once they are through. This is just another _Rent_-related fic that's been milling about both in my head and on my laptop for months! My other _Rent_-related R/T story, "Light My Candle," was a parody—but this is just some fluff. 

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_We don't need any money  
I always get in for free  
You can get in too  
If you get in with me_   
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Tonks frowned to see Remus's door closed when she reached the upper level of Grimmauld Place (after tripping over the first, and the last two, stairs). _This won't do!_

She rapped at his door. His muffled voice called out, "Sod off Padfoot!"

Tonks gaped at the closed door. Remus Lupin—bookish, proper, _Professor_ Remus Lupin—had cursed at her! Granted, he'd thought it was his best mate—who, apparently, he wasn't very fond of at the moment—but he'd let his tongue loose nonetheless, and it very well could have been the tongue of a pirate rather than the Order's resident gentlemanly werewolf! Tonks was both astounded—and intrigued.

She knocked again.

"I _don't_ want to talk about it, and you know better. Go away."

Tonks grinned. He sounded even more incensed. This must be something really serious! She wondered what her cousin could have possibly done—but only for a moment. She had a night of fun awaiting her, after all, and Remus the Grump was going to be her escort—whether he liked it or not.

She knocked again—this time, more insistently.

"It's none of your bloody business!"

Tonks had to hold her sides from shaking with so much repressed laughter. She didn't know what was more funny—Remus thinking that she was Sirius, or hearing him speak like this. She was beginning to think that she could simply entertain herself by standing at Remus's door and knocking on it all night.

But time was not on her side, and she wasn't about to waste this night off. Taking a deep breath, she raised her fist again and began pounding on the door with fervor, nonstop.

"Dammit, Sirius," she heard his voice get louder as he approached his door, "for the last time, I don't fancy your--"

Just as Remus opened the door, he saw the impish Auror and dropped the book he'd been holding.

"Music," he finished, after a lengthy pause.

"That's quite a lot of pent up rage for a spat over music," Tonks said, breezing into his room.

"Tonks." Drawing a hand through his graying hair, Remus seemed to suddenly be at a loss for words. The color slowly drained from his reddened face.

"Remus, we have no time to discuss your problem with Sirius's fixation with Van Halen, nor for idle chitchat. I have come to give you an assignment for a very important mission."

Remus eyed her outfit and her smug expression before asking, "And what might that be, Nymphadora?"

She rolled her eyes. "Don't call me Nymphadora, Remus!" She toyed with an overly-used quill on his desk as he picked up the book he'd dropped at the door. "This is very serious. Order morale is dropping, and with so many double shifts being assigned, the pressures of saving the Wizarding world—it's very important that we keep spirits up. For the effectiveness of the Order, I mean."

She finally looked up from his desk, only to see a perplexed look on his face. "Nym--"

She cut him off with a look.

"Tonks," he amended, "I don't see how you need me to do that. What is this assignment, exactly?"

"To take me out," Tonks said immediately.

Remus gawked at her. "To where?"

She rolled her eyes again. "Anywhere! Remus, this is my first night off in Merlin knows how long and I need to go out and have fun—and you're going to be my date."

He stared at her for a full minute before saying, "This isn't a real assignment."

"No, Remus, but" before she could finish, he cut her off.

"You're very believable and very funny, Tonks," he said, his voice betraying his words. It trembled as he said, "Now if you'll excuse me with what dignity I have left, I'd like to finish my novel."

Tonks crossed her arms over her chest. "What are you talking about Remus? Is this your way of letting a girl down easy?"

Remus sat stiffly into his chair. "I think it best you go back downstairs and tell Sirius that you've completed your _mission_. Good night, Tonks." He stuck his nose back into his book.

"Come on, Remus! You would rather spend the night reading--" she grabbed his book. "You'd rather read _Moby Dick_ than take me out?"

He reached for the book. "I said good night, Tonks." Opening back to the page he'd been on, he proceeded to ignore her.

She stood with her mouth open, staring at him. "Remus, come on!"

Remus turned the page, and she stood for another moment, hands on her hips.

"Don't be like this," Tonks finally said, crossing her arms back over her chest.

Another page was turned by careful fingers.

"Fine!" Sputtering, she hastily left, tripping just outside his door.

What _was_ the man's problem?


End file.
